


Hawthorn and Marigold

by DramaticalHearts (kusokawaii)



Category: Dangan Ronpa 3: The End of 希望ヶ峰学園 | The End of Kibougamine Gakuen | End of Hope's Peak High School
Genre: Alternate Universe - Flower Shop, F/M, Love at First Sight, M/M, Non-Despair AU, Rating May Change, Secret Crush
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-03-18
Updated: 2017-05-24
Packaged: 2018-10-07 07:04:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,853
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10354815
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kusokawaii/pseuds/DramaticalHearts
Summary: His boxing career put on hold, Juzo Sakakura takes a job at a place he least expected...A flower shop.As he and the people he meets along the way discover, when life changes your plans, your life can change in unexpected ways.(A MunaSaka flower shop AU, inspired by a prompt byStaropalite65!)





	1. Coreopsis

**Author's Note:**

> I know, I know, _another_ multi-chapter from me??  
>  Yeah, idk what I'm thinking either :']
> 
> ANYWAY, this story was inspired by a lengthy prompt written by [Staropalite65](https://twitter.com/Staropalite65)!  
> Which means I'll probably finish this... I hope. ^^'
> 
> Anyway, I figure some content is better than none, so enjoy this until I can finish something longer!!  
> (I'm gonna try to focus on updating one of my other multi-chaps next, I swear...)
> 
> Special thanks to my beta reader, [nikki_ntm](http://archiveofourown.org/users/nikki_ntm)!

Juzo Sakakura didn't know what had led him here.

Well, he  _ did _ – a shoulder injury had put him on the sidelines indefinitely from his successful boxing career, forcing him to seek non-strenuous employment. But even in his wildest dreams he didn't see himself manning a  _ flower shop _ , of all places. He had answered their 'help wanted' ad on a whim, never expecting that he'd actually get the job.

It was ironic, really. A strong, masculine man like himself, selecting and handling delicate blooms. Perhaps his employer – an independent shop named Hawthorn Floral – thought they had finally found a straight man who could represent the store for their male clientele.

Well, they were wrong on one count.

But he could represent the store well enough. Men responded to him well, feeling like they had found a 'man's man' they could connect with to help them understand all this flowery crap, and Juzo was good at playing straight.

But... his attitude could use some work.

In truth, he was just skirting the edge, only holding onto his job because he never actually did anything  _ wrong _ , but on sour days, his face showed it. His grimace and short attitude put customers on-edge, before he'd settle into his 'customer service' face. Which was harder to do on some days than others – the ones where life dumped a bucket of lemons upon his head first thing in the morning.

He couldn't help but grimace at times. The shop was boring, he missed boxing, and he was tired of having to act so  _ fake _ all the time. He got the impression, though, that if his attitude didn't improve, he'd be looking for a new job pretty soon.

Employment, especially of the non-strenuous kind, was hard to come by these days, especially for someone who hadn't even bothered to pursue a college degree. But he wondered, as he watched the store, if he would be better off finding another job.

As he mused to himself about job stability and weighing risks and benefits, the door to the store opened for the first time that day.

At the soft ringing of the bell attached to the door, Juzo lifted his gaze, a forced smile on his face already. At the sight of the customer, his eyes widened, and he quickly straightened out of his slouch.

Through the door had walked a tall, slim, well-dressed man. He looked to be Juzo's age, but his hair threw him off for a moment – it was pure white, neatly cut. He must have color-coordinated his attire with his hair, wearing a crisp, clean white suit and pants, with a gray shirt and black shoes for contrast.

The man cast his gaze around the store. As Juzo expected, he had never visited before. When he caught a glimpse of his face, his sharp, blue eyes, he swallowed.

_ Fuck,  _ he thought,  _ he's hot. He's like Anderson Cooper, but hotter. What's with that getup, anyway? What does he do? Is he a millionaire? What's he doing  _ here _? _

_ Well, either way, it looks like he needs help, so... _

“Can I help you?”

Startled, the man turned, and surprise crossed his face upon seeing the tall, burly form of Juzo behind the counter. That was the reaction of most of his customers.

Undaunted, the man approached the counter. “Yes, actually,” he said, coming to a stop right in front of Juzo.

_ Fuck, he's even better looking up close... _

“What would you recommend for a small bouquet?”

When the man began to stare at him imploringly, Juzo snapped out of it. He realized he'd been staring. “Sorry. Uh, what's it for?”

The man hesitated for just a moment – his face slightly pinker than before. Or maybe he was just staring again. “Well, you see, there's a woman I work with who I would like to ask out on a date. I was thinking a small bouquet would be just the right thing to give her at that moment.”

_ Oh. _ Juzo deflated, but he tried not to let it show.  _ Why would a guy this hot be gay  _ and  _ single though, seriously? _

He shook it off. “You're right,” he nodded. “And the right choice of flowers can leave an impression on a lady. Let's see...”

He checked a nearby chart. He had memorized most of the common flower symbolism – the owner of the shop had a thing for flower language, and requested that the employees at least try to follow it – but he usually double-checked anyway. It was spring as well, so they had a wide variety of flowers in-stock.

“How about... pink tulips, with baby's breath mixed in? Small, but makes a statement.”

The man quirked his head curiously. “What's the symbolism?”

He was sharp. Most people paid little mind to the chart behind the counter. Well, most men, at least. Women  _ loved _ flower language, and bought into it in spades. “The tulips stand for declaration of love. The baby's breath stands for innocence and being pure of heart. Does that fit?”

The man smiled. “Yes, actually it does.”

Juzo smiled, too. “Alright, I'll get those together for ya. It'll look real nice.”

Juzo went to the refrigerated case where most of the more delicate flowers were kept, grabbing a modest bundle of pastel pink tulips, and a small bunch of baby's breath. He mixed in the tiny white flowers with care, dispersing them evenly among the tulips. There was no need to rush.

Satisfied with his work, he carried the bouquet back with him to the wrapping station behind the counter, held it together with rubber bands at the stems, then wrapped the whole thing in pink and white paper and cellophane, framing the flowers romantically. Or what he perceived as romantic, anyway.

“Alright, what do you think?” he asked, presenting the flowers to the man.

“They're perfect,” the man said, smiling again. Juzo could get addicted to that sight.

“Great. That'll be...” Juzo checked, then read the total price. The man handed him his credit card as payment. Juzo entered and swiped his card through, unable to resist taking a peek at the name printed on it: Kyosuke Munakata.

_ Kyosuke, _ he thought as he handed the card back to him.  _ Kyosuke Munakata. It suits him. _

“Okay, here you go,” he said, handing the bouquet to Kyosuke once he had put his credit card away.

“Thank you,” Kyosuke said, taking the bouquet. “I must say, I wasn't expecting to be helped by a man when I came in, but you've been very knowledgeable and helpful. I appreciate it.”

“Life's full of surprises,” Juzo said. “You're welcome. Come back anytime.”

Kyosuke nodded. “I just might.”

“Good luck!” Juzo called to him as he walked to the door. Kyosuke waved back, thanked him, then left the flower shop.

Juzo sighed, the sound loud in the quiet of the shop. Though he hadn't bought much, in his opinion Kyosuke was the best customer he'd had all week, by far. He hoped he'd see him again.

Maybe he could stick this job out for a little longer.


	2. Lilac

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello everyone!  
> I'm sorry this update took so long ;; Life and stuff, ya know.  
> (and also this chapter being stubbornly difficult to edit)
> 
> I hope you all enjoy it~! (and find that it was worth the wait!)
> 
> Special thanks to [nikki_ntm](http://archiveofourown.org/users/nikki_ntm) and [bipalium](http://archiveofourown.org/users/bipalium/pseuds/bipalium) for beta-reading this for me!

Juzo would be lying if he said he hadn't thought about Kyosuke Munakata even once since their encounter. His face, his eyes kept reappearing in Juzo’s mind, against his better judgment, at times when his unoccupied mind would wander – while on the treadmill at the gym, while practicing punches with his uninjured arm on his punching bag at home, and between customers at work.

He tried to keep the more, well, _salacious_ thoughts of him at bay. He'd had too long a track record of disappointment to dare hope that Kyosuke might possibly return his feelings. Not only that, he might have a girlfriend now. That aside, though Juzo would be reluctant to admit it, his mood lightened every time the well-dressed man crossed his mind.

It had been well over a week since Kyosuke’s visit to the shop, but Juzo was still riding that high. The shop's owner had commented, with a note of relief in her voice, that he seemed to be enjoying his work more, that his attitude had improved at last. He didn't tell her, of course, that it was because some part of him hoped that Kyosuke would grace their doorstep again one day.

He felt for the store owner, though – a young woman named Seiko Kimura. After she had praised him, she took him aside and confessed that she was thankful that he had taken this job. When he asked why, she told him everything that she had held back before (filling in the blanks of what he already knew), not wanting to manipulate him into taking the job.

Truth was, she was often no less than overwhelmed by the task of running the shop, which had been left to her by her parents. They had both perished in a car accident soon after she had graduated from college and been hired by a local pharmacy. She had plenty of experience with floristry, thanks to them, but help was hard to find while juggling two jobs. As much as she liked flowers, helping people as a pharmacist was her true passion.

She ended up employing two of her former classmates who were between jobs at the time – but they were less than ideal employees, who often took advantage of Seiko's kind nature. Ruruka Ando couldn't remember most of the flower names without reading their labels, often forgot to recommend flowers based on the 'flower language' chart, and talked customers' ears off about everything but flowers.

Sonosuke Izayoi – Ruruka's boyfriend – could do the menial tasks of running the store well enough – unloading shipments of flowers and plants, pruning and tending to current stock, making deliveries – but his people skills were lacking. A man of few words, he was short and blunt with customers when cashiering, wearing a dour expression on his face, and mostly kept eerily quiet. The only time he ever smiled at the job was when he interacted with Ruruka. Not only that, a blacksmith by hobby and trade, he brought his smaller creations – usually weapons – with him wherever he went, playing with them idly when business was slow. Which didn't do much to attract and keep customers.

On top of that, the two often asked for multiple days off, more now that Ruruka had landed a job at a nearby bakery. She had begged Seiko to keep Sonosuke employed, due to the difficulty of finding a job or making a profit in his field of expertise at this day and age. Seiko, of course, caved, but in a moment of desperation she had placed the 'help wanted' ad in hopes of filling the spots that neither she nor her current employees could fill.

Three weeks later, Juzo had answered the ad.

When he first met the owner, she told him that they had had trouble filling this position. She now confided that most of the applicants simply never replied to her callback, and one even left before the end of the interview.

This didn't surprise him. For one, there was some confusion at first as to what his job would actually entail.

“The ad was for a cashier position, wasn't it?” Juzo had asked, his brows drawing together in bewilderment.

Seiko fidgeted, her eyes darting for a moment. “Y-yes, but you will probably have to do some arranging, too. S-see, I've been having trouble filling all of the shifts, and I need someone to fill in the blanks that I and the other two members of my staff can't. S-so you will likely have to create arrangements for customers, as well as cashier... b-but, it's not hard! You'll just have to learn how! I can teach you!”

When Juzo had blinked at her, gears slowly turning in his head – could he really do this job? – she sighed.

“I'm sorry... I know I should have disclosed this in the ad, but when I did, no one answered it. If you don't think you can do this...”

“Hey,” Juzo had said. Seiko looked up at him owlishly.

“I'll take it.”

Seiko's eyes sparkled. “R-really?!”

“Yeah,” he smiled, noticing the tension that left Seiko's shoulders immediately. “Nearly all the other entry-level positions that are open around here require heavy lifting, and I have a shoulder injury, so, why not? How hard could it be?” he shrugged.

Seiko had positively beamed, bounding over to Juzo, then hesitated awkwardly before she decided on shaking his hand. “Thank you so much for giving us a chance. We'll do our best to accommodate all of your needs.”

The day he met the staff, Juzo realized that he would likely stick out like a sore thumb here. Seiko, as kind and patient as she was, had a rather... unusual look about her. She was sickly pale, wore dark clothing most of the time, a black allergy mask over her nose and mouth, and a tired, worn-out expression in her large lilac eyes that made it look as though she desired the sweet release of death. Ruruka wore offensively bright, candy-colored outfits and had a superficially sweet voice that made his skin crawl. Sonosuke, meanwhile, bore an unsettlingly grim look on his face, and had a fondness for dark-colored trench coats.

That on top of the oddly dim lighting the shop had, the slight gothic motif of its décor, and its outsized section of memorial flowers, it all looked like it had been ripped out of several Tim Burton movies.

It was surreal, and Juzo could have easily said no to joining this motley crew. But, needing the money and sanity-saving productivity of a job, he ultimately decided to stick it out.

Hearing Seiko’s story now, Juzo felt guilty for ever considering quitting, though he knew that that wasn't her intention. Once she had finished, he put a comforting arm around her small frame, and reassured her that he'd try his best from now on. She dithered at his reaction at first, and reminded him that he should feel free to leave the job when he needed to, whenever his shoulder recovers. Reluctantly, he agreed.

Which brings him to today. He still wasn't in love with the job, but he was slowly finding things to like about it. The peaceful, low-stress atmosphere of the shop. The scents of the flowers. The relief on the male customers' faces when they saw him, and the surprise on the female customers' faces when Juzo displayed his (acquired) knowledge of flowers and their symbolism, and his knack for putting them all together in an appealing fashion.

He wanted to return to boxing with every fiber of his being, but, as the occasional twinge of pain in his shoulder reminded him, he had to find a silver lining somewhere, for the time being. His next appointment to have his injury reassessed was almost a month from now, so all he could do was wait.

Tidying up the counter during a mid-afternoon slump, his thoughts wandered once again. Perhaps Kyosuke's initiative had failed, and he'd never visit the shop again...

Just then, the shop's door opened.

Juzo looked up, and couldn't stop the smile that spread across his face.

There at their doorstep entered the unmistakable form of Kyosuke Munakata, just as well-dressed as he had been before, this time wearing a light gray gingham print dress shirt with a black tie, a darker gray vest over it, and dressy slacks to match.

“Hey!” Juzo greeted, straightening up. _Don't call him by his name, that'd be weird._ “Good to see ya again!”

Kyosuke smiled in return, approaching the counter. “It's good to see you, too.”

“So, I take it things went well?” Juzo asked, his smile turning prideful of its own accord.

Kyosuke nodded. “She said yes, and she loved the flowers. In fact, I stopped by last week for a bouquet for our second date, but you weren't here.”

Juzo's stomach fell. He hadn't considered that possibility. “Ahh... what day was that?”

“Tuesday.”

Tuesday – Ruruka and Sonosuke had worked that day.

“Ahh, yeah I work Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and every other weekend, usually.” _What the fuck, why did you offer that up?_

Kyosuke nodded. “Good to know. Just between you and I,” he said, leaning in, “I didn't much like the two who served me then.”

Juzo could only imagine it – Ruruka sweet-talking him into buying the gaudiest, most sickeningly sweet-smelling arrangement possible, as their own Sweeney Todd snipped dead leaves off of the potted plants with a menacing pair of handmade scissors in the background.

He laughed. “Totally understandable. So, what can I get for ya today?”

“Red and pink roses, please. A dozen.”

“Comin' right up,” Juzo said, turning.

“Wait,” Kyosuke said. Juzo paused and looked back at him.

“I ordered that last time. I have a bit more confidence in you,” Kyosuke quipped.

A gleeful pride buzzed through Juzo's veins. _More than the gruesome twosome._ “Alright, what are you looking for?”

“Hmm...” Kyosuke mused, casting his gaze around the shop's displayed offerings. “How about a mixed bouquet of pink and white flowers, with green accents? You can choose whichever flowers you like. Impress me.”

Juzo could practically feel himself puffing up. “Alright,” he said, a grin emerging, “I'll see what I can do.”

Juzo turned and decided to go into the back of the store, where most of the flowers were kept. He mused to himself for a moment. He had certainly come up with bouquets and arrangements for customers on the fly – few came into the store with an exact idea in mind of what they wanted, beyond the basics – but even so, he felt a tingle of anxiety at coming up with a bouquet for _Kyosuke_.

 _A bouquet for Kyosuke's girlfriend,_ Juzo reminded himself. _Just put some pretty flowers together, maybe throw in some with sappy meanings, too._

He nodded to himself, smacked his right fist into the palm of his left hand – feeling a twinge in his shoulder as he did so – and set off toward the freshest batch of blooms.

Before he had taken this job, Juzo would never have used the word 'creative' to describe himself. But, through thinking on his feet – and of his mother – his arrangements gradually became more and more visually appealing. Making good-looking arrangements was the key to keeping this job, of course, but secretly he liked letting his hidden creative side out once in a while – and surprising himself with the results.

He started to search for and gather the flowers and greens he'd use. On his first day, Seiko had patiently showed him the basics of bouquet making, step by step.

_Decide which flowers will be the focal point, if the customer hasn't specified._

Basically, the stars of this little flower show. He glanced at the 'flower language' poster on the wall, at the section circled for meanings of love.

“Pink and white, huh,” he muttered. “Got it.”

He reached for pink roses – _pure and ardent love_ – thought a moment, then gathered a few white lilies – _majesty, purity, and innocence_ – clustering them together in his hand. He smiled at how they complimented each other.

_Then, select a demure flower to surround the focal flowers and fill out the bouquet with._

It didn't take him long to decide which flower to use for this – alstroemeria. Also known as Peruvian lilies, they were his go-to filler flower. They were appealing to the eye, easy to work with and blend into bouquets, _and_ symbolized devotion and friendship. A win-win-win, in his view. He collected as many pink and white ones as he could grab.

_Finally, pick out some greens to fill out and accent the rest of the bouquet with._

This part was always a bit tricky, but he decided not to overthink it, and just gather a fistful of his old standbys. He could always go back for more, if needed.

He took his gathered flowers and greenery and laid them out on the wooden table in the center of the backroom, just like Seiko had shown him back then. Sorted them by their type, prepared the flowers and greens, then gathered the bouquet materials and put them on the table as well.

Then, he picked up the flower he'd start with – a single pink rose.

_Start with your focal point, then build your arrangement around it, with filler flowers, more focal points, and greens. Like this..._

Juzo prepared the rose, cutting off its thorns and leaves and removing its bruised petals, then held the rose by its stem in his left hand, grabbing a white Peruvian lily with his right, and nestling it beside the rose's crown. He turned it slightly, then added another Peruvian lily – a pink one. When he had the rose surrounded by them, he added another focal point flower – one of the white lilies.

Hearing Seiko's gentle yet firm admonishments in the back of his mind – _Keep turning it! Make it even!_ – Juzo built the bouquet from the center outward, spreading the focal points and filler flowers evenly, adding greens wherever they looked right.

Juzo never quite knew how a bouquet or arrangement would turn out until he saw it for himself, and as he added the last few greens needed, he was pleased with the outcome.

He checked, double-checked, then trimmed the stems and tied them together tightly. Satisfied, he chose the paper wrappings – a sheet of pink and one of white – to wrap it prettily, completing the bouquet.

Juzo looked at the finished bouquet in his hand, turning it to get a better look, and smiled.

Leafy debris covered the work table, the remnants of his craft, but he decided to leave clean-up for later – he wanted to show his creation to Kyosuke _now._

Emerging from the back room, he found Kyosuke patiently waiting, slipping his phone back into his pocket as soon as Juzo came back into view.

“Here it is,” Juzo said, holding out the bouquet for Kyosuke to evaluate. “What do you think?”

The way Kyosuke's eyes lit up at the sight of the flowers was answer enough. “Beautiful. She'll adore it.”

Juzo tried to keep a prideful grin off his face. “Any changes you'd like me to make?”

“None at all,” Kyosuke shook his head. “You did a marvelous job.”

Juzo's heart did a happy flip, as he instantly failed at restraining his smile. He didn't know _for sure_ , but he was certain that Kyosuke had a discerning taste. He pointed out the flowers he used, mentioning their meanings, and Kyosuke nodded in approval. “Perfect.”

“All right,” Juzo said with gusto. “Can I get you anything else?”

“Yes, actually,” Kyosuke replied, turning to one of the shelves and plucking one of the smaller potted plants from it, placing it on the counter. “I'll take this charming succulent, as well.”

Juzo looked at the plant, and Kyosuke wasn't wrong – it was green with bright pink-dipped leaves, and in the middle a tall, thin green stalk had sprouted, with four tiny yellow flowers at its very tip.

“Ahh, good choice. Is this for you or for her?” he asked out of curiosity, looking back up at Kyosuke.

“For her,” Kyosuke answered. “She has expressed a desire to keep a plant at her desk at work, so I thought one like this should do the trick.”

Juzo nodded. “Yeah, these are hardy little things, so it should be perfect for that. Here, have a care pamphlet,” he said, reaching under the counter to retrieve one of the pamphlets they gave new owners of succulent plants and handing it to him.

“Thank you,” Kyosuke said, taking it and slipping into his jacket's interior pocket. “Would this plant have any specific meaning, by any chance?”

“Uhh,” Juzo said, momentarily caught off-guard. He glanced at the chart by the register. “...None that I can see. Though, the cactus has one, and a succulent is kinda like a cactus?”

Kyosuke gave a soft laugh. “Alright, and what is that?”

“Endurance.”

“Ah. Perfect for the workplace, then,” Kyosuke nodded. “I'll take it.”

 _He's a thoughtful guy, isn't he._ Juzo nodded. “I'll ring these up for ya,” he said, taking the plant and scanning it in, then manually entering the cost of the bouquet. Juzo gave him the total, and Kyosuke handed him his credit card without hesitation.

As Juzo scanned the card in, Kyosuke spoke up.

“Pardon my rudeness, but, what led you to work here?” he asked. “No offense, but you don't look like a typical florist.”

Juzo looked up, and saw a gentle smirk on his lips. It put him at ease.

“You're right. I'm a boxer, actually.” He handed the credit card back to Kyosuke. “I messed up my shoulder pretty bad, and had to take a break to let it heal. So that's how I ended up sorting flowers. My injury isn't looking so good, though, so I don't know when I'll be able to get back to boxing...”

Kyosuke slipped the card into his wallet, tucking it back into his pocket as his brows softly furrowed in thought.

“Hmm... well, the way I see it, it's good to flourish where you are, even if it isn't where you meant to land. Or, to put it another way,” Kyosuke said, a twinkle in his eye. “Bloom where you're planted.”

Juzo's heart squeezed pleasantly. At Kyosuke's curved smile, obviously amused by his own rare pun; at his words, which, if said by anyone else, would've been grounds for a punching, or at least an eye roll.

...Well, the words were still pretty cheesy, but somehow, hearing them from Kyosuke made him want to believe them.

“Yeah,” Juzo softly chuckled, “you've got a point there. Ah, here are your flowers,” he said, almost forgetting to hand over Kyosuke's purchases.

“Thank you,” Kyosuke said, taking them. “I'm serious, though. Don't let this get you down. Whether you return to boxing or not, try to make the most of where you are now. Who knows, this could be your new calling,” he smiled, gesturing with his bouquet for emphasis.

Juzo let out a small huff of a laugh. “We'll see, huh?”

Kyosuke gave a nod. “I'll be going, then. Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and every other weekend, correct?”

“A-ah, correct,” Juzo said, caught off-guard.

“Just double-checking. I'll keep that in mind for the future. Farewell,” he said, giving him a wave.

“See ya soon,” Juzo waved. “Good luck on your date!”

“Mm,” Kyosuke replied. “Keep up the good work here.”

Juzo beamed. “Will do, sir!”

One soft ring of a bell later, and Kyosuke was gone once again. Juzo let out a sigh, realizing afterward that his heart was beating _much_ faster than usual.

 _Jeez. What am I, a schoolgirl?_ Juzo thought with a laugh, running a hand through his hair.

“Flirting at the workplace?”

Juzo jolted, his heart falling as he saw Seiko's head pop out from the back room, a knowing look in her eyes.

“I, I don't know what you're talking about,” Juzo said, looking away, feeling his face warm.

“It's fine, I don't mind,” Seiko replied, shaking her head. “Whatever keeps you coming into work,” she added cheerily. “Now get back here and help me clean up these trimmings.”

Her head disappeared into the back room as quickly as it had popped up. Juzo turned around, a sense of relief settling over him like a warm blanket. “Okay, on my way.”

Before he entered the back room, Juzo cast his gaze around the shop.

_Bloom where you're planted._

Kyosuke's inspiring words replayed in his mind, leaving him wondering if perhaps his bitter outlook regarding this job was unjustified.

It wasn't an exciting job, no – quite the opposite, it was so relaxing he could swear he could _feel_ his blood pressure lowering. If he was honest with himself, worry over his career aside, this was the least stressed he'd felt in years. His shoulder needed time to recover and heal, at its own pace – there was no rushing it. For once, he could just _breathe._

What had just happened relieved him even further – there was no way he could be this casually _open_ with his orientation around his fellow boxers and coaches. Seiko, however, didn't seem to mind it in the slightest, merely taking it in stride. He didn't know what he was expecting, but he was thankful nonetheless.

And, while he hadn't thought so at first, at least this job had dignity. If he hadn't taken this job, he'd probably be flipping burgers right now at the nearest greasy fast food joint. At least his efforts were appreciated here.

Speaking of which...

The image of Kyosuke's face, his eyes glinting and his lips curling into a reserved, yet genuine smile when he saw Juzo's own handiwork, replayed before his mind's eye. His slender fingers gripping the bouquet with care, it somehow looking even better in Kyosuke’s hand than it had in his own, like it was meant to be there.

“ _Who knows, this could be your new calling.”_

Juzo sighed softly, turning to enter the back room.

_...Alright, this job isn't so bad after all._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you'd like to see how Juzo made his bouquet, [here's a tutorial video!](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lusZ2nkwR5E)  
> (and one on [flower prep](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G3sBkOIi9Bk), which is vital)
> 
> Kyosuke's outfit was inspired by a drawing by [hyakunana ](http://hyakunana.tumblr.com/)!
> 
> The succulent is based on [this little cutie](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/C_XIc-iUIAAHuCX.jpg) I saw on twitter!
> 
> And, a fun fact: There are two lilac bushes in front of my house! They just bloomed recently, too. They smelled wonderful. ^^

**Author's Note:**

> If you're curious about the "flower language" referenced in this fic, check out [this site!](http://www.languageofflowers.com/flowermeaning.htm)


End file.
